What We Do

The National Park Service restores abandoned mineral lands associated with past mineral exploration, extraction, processing, and transportation across the nation's parks.

The National Park Service will remove orphaned oil and gas infrastructure from the Lemon Pad oil and gas site at Padre Island National Seashore. The project will address public safety concerns and benefit threatened and endangered species, including the Northern Aplomado falcon. Site restoration will include restoring wetland and wind-tidal habitat and improving of the overall health of the surrounding landscape.

The NPS will use $1,600,000 from the Inflation Reduction Act to help preserve historic mining structures at Skidoo and Gem Mill in Death Valley National Park.

The National Park Service will conduct a time sensitive contaminated mining waste removal project that will prevent the contamination of a creek that supports several salmon species in Kenai Fjords National Park.

The National Park Service will assess the condition of four historic abandoned mine sites in Denali National Park. The assessments will complement assessments completed within the Cultural Resources Framework and provide a comprehensive safety assessment. The report and treatment plan will provide the park with recommendations for site management to preserve the structures and remediate safety hazards.

The National Park Service is conducting a stream assessment and developing a natural channel design and restoration plan for Coal Creek incorporating road access and habitat restoration for Chinook salmon in Yukon-Charley National Preserve.

The National Park Service will assess contaminated drainage from abandoned coal mines affecting Blair Creek at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

The National Park Service will develop a reclamation plan for an abandoned sulfur mine site at Valles Caldera National Preserve, with the ultimate goal of restoring the site.

The National Park Service will mitigate safety risks to visitors by removing abandoned equipment and debris at abandoned sulfur mine at the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The work will also support the restoration of natural conditions within the Preserve.

The National Park Service will search for evidence to determine liability for contamination at Mariscal Mine in Big Bend National Park. Experts will match wastes found at the site with parties that may have contributed to the degradation and/or identify persons responsible for the release of hazardous substances at the site.